Dinajpur leather tannery to balance state industrialization

05 Apr '08

2 min read

Over 30 tanneries are anticipated to get established at the Dhantala Leather complex in Uttar Dinajpur. A joint venture between the West Bengal Small Industrial Development Corporation (WBSIDC) and the Indian Tanning Industries Private Limited (ITIPL) has been agreed for one of these tanneries.

Foreign investors have also showed interest in this particular complex. Japanese company Melx Co Ltd, Thai company PSP Tannery and Italian Ascot Ltd has already put forward their proposal to venture for this project.

Although a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was inked earlier by the WBSIDC, the foundation for the complex will be laid this Sunday by Mr Hasim Abdul Halim, State Assembly Speaker.

The project will be developed under private public partnership and will be named as Bengal Juneja Leather Complex Ltd. Nearly 26 percent of the capital investment will be contributed by WBSIDC while the remaining 74 percent will come from ITIPL.

A planned investment of Rs450 crore will be generated through equities and financial institutions. The complex is likely to get completed one and a half years and will provide employment for 3,000 people in the first phase and an additional 7,000 in the second phase.

This venture was essentially an outcome of the desire to have a more balanced industrialization in the state.

Not only will the project help capitalize on huge raw material market in North-Eastern region along with Orissa and Bihar, it will also put a stop to leather smuggling to Bangladesh. Besides, the Nathula road would also enhance trade relations with China.

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